Why Doc Martin Is The Best Medical Drama, Ever

Why Doc Martin Is The Best Medical Drama, Ever

Full disclosure: We love TV. So much so that sometimes we'd rather spend a whole weekend in front of the tube than dancing in da club. Is a lack of television service holding you back from feeling our joy? No problem! You can get by just fine on Netflix, Hulu, and the myriad other streaming services rapidly taking over the home entertainment industry (thank you, Internet!).

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Some shows are just better when binge-watched. Whether it's the latest BBC comedy, a PBS miniseries from the '70s, or just that cultish show prematurely scrubbed from a network, we're hooked on the stream. Staying In(stant) is your guide to the best of streaming content. Each week, we bring you a show we're obsessed with and think you should be, too.

This week:Doc Martin, a British medical drama/comedy series

Where To Watch: Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime

How I Got Hooked:
I didn't think there could be a doctor with a worse bedside manner than Hugh Laurie on House. Then I met Dr. Martin Ellingham. Despite being a British TV junkie through and through, I would have probably never clicked on the show (Martin's grumpy cover photo is far from alluring) unless my mom insisted it was sidesplitting. Was I ever glad I did watch the first episode. In season one, Doc Martin, a brilliant physician in London, develops hemophobia (a fear of blood), which stops short his brilliant career as surgeon. Forced to become a general practitioner and move to a charming and snoozy seaside town in Cornwall, he suddenly has to deal with not just freaky medical cases but also the village's nosy and supercilious cast of characters. He's not amused.

Best Episode:
It's too hard to pick a favorite. While Martin rotates through several hilarious secretaries through the series, his interactions with Pauline Lamb in season two are definitely the most snarky and wonderful. She's definitely his match in wit.

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Martin: "Can you give me his phone number then, please?"
Pauline: "No. Don't have it."
Martin: "Remind me what your job is again?"
Pauline: "He didn't leave a number. He left in a rush, looking like a frightened rabbit. Like all your patients, actually."

Why You'll Love It: No matter how socially awkward you might you think you are, Doc Martin wins. His social skills are beyond saving at points. But, besides his head-butting interactions with an ongoing love interest, school teacher Louisa Glasson, most of the villagers become pretty oblivious to his sarcastic remarks. Much to his great irritation, they begin to idolize and adore him. Also, the irony of a doctor unable to stand the sight of blood leads — a comedy of errors if there ever was. Nosy neighbors, freaky medical emergencies, and awkward romances await you.